It seemed inevitable that Bill Scherer’s name would come up in the wide-ranging federal investigation that is enveloping Broward County right now. Scherer, a prominent attorney, landowner, and power broker, has always had his hands in a lot of pots. One of them was Gulf Building Corp., a construction company that is…
With the latest arrests in the part of the federal corruption probe involving Miramar construction projects, another big name is coming to light: Hall of Fame Miami Dolphin Dwight Stephenson. Stephenson Although there’s no indication that Stephenson did anything wrong, his politically connected construction firm, D. Stephenson Construction, is involved in Miramar city projects that federal…
If you’ve seen the Sun-Sentinel video of Beverly Gallagher’s exit from the courthouse, you’ll not soon forget the big boy in the middle of it. The video starts with Gallagher and daughters Annie and Meghan running for the parking garage stairs as a gaggle of reporters and cameras follows. As they get to the stairs, you…
Then-Broward County Commissioner Joe Eggelletion trusted his friend Ronald Owens with his money and his freedom. And in the end, Owens betrayed him. Eggelletion’s federal criminal complaint shows that when it came time to be paid his share of a Bahamian money-laundering scheme that was part of an FBI sting, Eggelletion refused to…
… isn’t going to be Alain Jean. Jean Jean’s name was on the banter list for the Gov. Charlie Crist’s replacement for the federally charged and suspended Joe Eggelletion. Why? He’s a Democrat who might be able to hold onto the office in the 72 percent-strong Democratic district while he also has ties to the…
Josephus Eggelletion: Surprised at his home at 7:30 a.m. by federal agents who arrest him and take him away. Fitzroy Salesman: Busted by masked feds when he was still in bed. Beverly Gallagher: Allowed to enjoy a breakfast with her family and self-surrender in her own good time. Why the special treatment for Gallagher? Did…
State House candidate Freda Stevens first met shadowy Democratic operative Barry Harris in June at the monthly meeting of the Broward County Democratic Executive Committee. At the time, she was trying to decide whether to run again in 2010 against Evan Jenne, who had beaten her in 2008. When Harris approached her…
This amazing photograph was taken by the always-excellent Mike Stocker of the Sun-Sentinel. It is, of course, Beverly Gallagher running out of the courthouse with her family and a particularly zealous videographer. Gallagher looks like she’s in a daze, like she can’t believe this moment is really happening. Her face seems frozen, zombie-like…
Broward County School Board Deputy Superintendent Michael Garretson contacted the Pulp this afternoon and had one very strong reaction to information filed in the federal complaint against School Board Member Beverly Gallagher. Gallagher told undercover FBI agents that she had lined up Garretson, who oversees the School Board’s construction and facilities…
I’ll never forget interviewing Joe Eggelletion’s former student at Dillard High, Angelita Sanders, about her meetings with the man in recent years. Sanders, who had a son of Eggelletion’s out of wedlock after they struck up a romance while she was still a teenager, said the man had changed drastically over the…
At the heart of the federal criminal complaint filed against Broward School Board member Beverly Gallagher is an allegation she rigged a board committee to recommend that her favored contractor, James B. Pirtle Construction, receive a $70 million renovation project at Hollywood Hills High School. A look at the School Board documents…
School Board Member Beverly Gallagher has turned herself in to federal authorities on public corruption charges, according to sources and a federal complaint. She is the third current or former public official known to be charged in the federal probe; the others are Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion and former…
Early word on the arrest of Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion is that it involves a complex scheme to launder money through his contacts in the Bahamas. Also arrested in connection to the Eggelletion case, according to a federal complaint, are Ronald Lee Owens, attorney Joel Williams, and Bahamian Sidney…
Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion (left) and former Miramar Commissioner Fitzroy Salesman were arrested at their homes this morning in what is apparently the beginning of the long-awaited federal corruption sweep. Salesman’s attorney, Eric Schwartzreich, told me that Salesman was arrested at his home at 6 a.m. by agents with…
Dozens of teachers have been laid off, the capital budget is in shambles, parents and teachers are being asked to subsidize educational materials, and school repair work is being neglected because there’s no money. But thank goodness there’s money to renovate a high school football stadium for about $7 million. The…
Count Lantana Mayor David Stewart among the growing number of longtime Palm Beach Post readers who have seriously questioned why they should subscribe to the newspaper anymore. Stewart says that when his subscription rate was jacked up from $120 to $200 a year, he contacted the newspaper and asked the Big Question:…
Broward Public Defender Howard Finkelstein today officially banned his public defenders from contributing money to judges whom they practice before. It’s a continuation from the controversy regarding prosecutor (and Sunrise commissioner) Sheila Alu’s fundraising for Judge Elijah Williams, and I think it’s good policy. Here’s the email he sent to all PD employees:…
The Florida Press Club gave its first-place blog award to the Daily Pulp in a competition open to every newspaper in the state. Coming in a surprise second was Sun-Sentinel cartoonist Chan Lowe’s blog, followed by the Pulp’s sister blog, The Juice, run by Thomas Francis, which scored a third-place finish. Lucky you. Think…
The Miami Herald is reporting that Beverly Gallagher is taking six weeks off from the Broward County School Board for an “undisclosed illness.” “I’ve been in some pretty good pain,” Gallagher told the newspaper. Interesting timing, huh? And she must have come down with this awful serious illness in the past week or so. A…
As reported below, Freda Stevens’ District 100 State House campaign has filed a criminal complaint against state Rep. Evan Jenne, claiming that Jenne, through veteran political operative Barry Harris, promised to help finance her campaign if she didn’t run against him. Harris Jenne vehemently denies the allegation, and…
Following is a news release from the campaign of Freda Stevens, a Democrat who is running for the state House seat in District 91. Stevens ran against state Rep. Evan Jenne in District 100 in 2008 and claims that Jenne, through a surrogate, offered her promises of campaign cash if she vacated his district and…
Word is that Broward County School Board Member Beverly Gallagher has hired Mr. Bus Bench himself, Steve Rossi, to represent her in a reputed ongoing federal criminal probe. I asked Rossi, who also represents the Broward Teacher’s Union, about it today. “Anything involving a client I can’t comment on that,” said Rossi,…
